Be A Man
by Elven-Quill11
Summary: Oneshot Songfic to Mulan's Be A Man. Alanna during her page years. Training with swords.


"**Let's get down to business - to train some knights**

**Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?"**

Alanna of Trebond, no Alan now, gulped. _Did Duke Gareth know already? No he couldn't. Could he?_

"**You're the saddest bunch I've ever met**

**But you can bet before we're through**

**Mister, I'll make a man out of you"**

Now Alan felt the Duke's gaze rest on her. Duke Gareth's words rang in her mind. _I'll have to work harder than all the rest, _Alan thought, _just to keep up._

**Tranquil as a forest**

**But on fire within**

Alan seemed cool and collected, but the other boys wondered sometimes. Around Ralon they could see a different Alan.

**Once you find your center**

**You are sure to win**

Alan leapt to learn enough to rival the boys. He wasn't as good at wrestling as he could be. He needed to work harder. Each bruise was a lesson on the road to being a better knight.

**You're a spineless, pale pathetic lot**

**And you haven't got a clue**

**Somehow I'll make a man out of you**

Alan practiced nightly with Coram's overlarge sword. He practiced far longer and far harder than any other boy. Sklaw wasn't going to get to him, never.

"**I'm never gonna catch my breath"**

Sacherell of Wellam thought. Sklaw had called him lazy;_ there will be no rest from here on out_, the boy groaned.

"**Say goodbye to those who knew me"**

Geoffrey of Meron sighed. _Sword fighting is going to be bad, I don't want to be a knight, and I hate blood,_ The boy thought suppressing nausea.

**Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym**

Douglas of Veldine gulped at Sklaw's sharp reprimand. _How did he know that I like food? Now I'll never be safe in the kitchens._

**This guy's got 'em scared to death**

George Cooper, King of Thieves, smiled grimly._ Alan can pull it off, he beat that Ralon boy senseless. _Of course George knew of the swordsmanship lessons, George knew everything happening in Corus.

**Hope he doesn't see right through me**

Alan of Trebond was both angry with and afraid of Sklaw._ He breaks down my confidence but his sharp eye could see what the others haven't. He could learn my secret._

**Now I really wish that I knew how to swim**

The four boys dreaded Sklaw. A moment without the sword was cause for punishment. They wished they'd put more effort into training before this.

**Be a man**

**We must be swift as the coursing river**

Sklaw repeatedly rode the boys to draw the swords faster.

**Be a man**

**With all the force of a great typhoon**

Alan was hit the hardest by Sklaw's comments. "You're a midget." "You're too clumsy." Or "You'll only be a 'Lord' sitting about writing poetry, never a knight."

**Be a man**

**With all the strength of a raging fire**

When Alan's temper finally exploded at Sklaw, all he did was laugh. "You haven't much confidence if an old buzzard like me can hurt it."

**Mysterious as the dark side of the moon**

Alan practiced as hard as he could with Sklaw. _Do I need to do more?_ He asked himself often.

**Time is racing toward us till the Ordeal arrives**

**Heed my every order and you might survive**

Today was something far different. Actual dueling, between the comrades. This was the real thing. No pretending. Alan faced off against Sacherell; he could barely fend off the blows. The defeat was embarrassing.

**You're unsuited for the rage of war**

**So pack up, go home you're through**

**How could I make a man out of you?**

No one actually told Alan to go home, except his inner voice that taunted him with the failure. He lay awake that night replaying the whole duel.

**Be a man**

**We must be swift as the coursing river**

**Be a man**

**With all the force of a great typhoon**

**Be a man**

**With all the strength of a raging fire**

**Mysterious as the dark side of the moon**

Every night Alan practiced two hours; one with Lightning, one with Coram's heavy sword. Alan wasn't sure it would pay off but he had to try, he had to work at it.

**Be a man**

**We must be swift as the coursing river**

**Be a man**

**With all the force of a great typhoon**

**Be a man**

**With all the strength of a raging fire**

When Lord Martin of Meron arrived Alan would see if it had paid off. He faced off against Geoffrey. He was nervous but that soon evaporated.

Every move Geoffrey made had a counted Alan had practiced repeatedly. He didn't think only reacted; his muscles knew the movements from repetitive drilling.

Then a deft twist of Lightning and Geoffrey's sword spun from the other boy's hands. A neat flick of Lightning and Geoffrey was staring down the business end of Alan's sowed.

**Mysterious as the dark side of the moon**

While the boy and his friends cheered and celebrated Sklaw looked on. The boy, small, weak, temperamental, had done the work himself. Sklaw couldn't take credit for the matchless swordsman the boy would become. "He did it all by himself."


End file.
